What are Nitecore like as a company?

Are their products reliable? What are warranties like? What about service and parts?

Are they not a favourite around here?

Nitecore products are not bad. I own batteries and a charger by them and have no complaints. NiteCore has become a main stream product. What I mean is they found some things that work and stuck with that. Kinda like Maglite or Streamlight where at one point they were out front on a lot of ideas. So now that they are kinda same ole same ole the CPF crowd kinda yawns at the name NiteCore.

I think a lot of people will swear by NiteCore lights. Others will say they suck. Regarding warranty issues I cannot say I've read any complaints here like you do with some companies who have all kinds of funky requirements to prove it actually needs fixing.

OK. Thanks for explaining. Being new around here, I'm just trying to find my way around the different manufacturers. What are good quality and reliable etc.

I have had pretty good luck with Nitecore products. Lately Nitecore doesn't seem to be capturing the imagination of CPF but I think they are a reasonably decent brand with a wide range of lights.

Thanks for the info. What would really be useful (if there isn't one already) is a beginners guide to manufacturers and models. I just walked into CPF knowing nothing and trying to get my head around the different makes and models is really stretching my brain cell.

Best thing you can do is use the search bar and read and process. Ask questions! Most of us are here to help. If I had more experience with them I would chime in but I've only ever used their keychain type lights. No issues there.

I don't think they are that consistent. Sometimes they put out real winners. Sometimes they put out some crappy products. I haven't paid close enough attention to say whether they've been making more good than bad, or vice-versa.

Most recently, the TIKI is a truly shameless (and inferior) knockoff of the (truly excellent) Rovyvon Auroras, so I've decided to steer clear of the brand as it violates my purchasing rules.

Previously I had an old model battery charger from them which was perfectly adequate and did not burn my house down.

You will find that different makes and models of flashlights occur on a very, very vast spectrum.
There are many people who like the niche that they like and do not like the other niches.
There are lots of people who like the niche that they like, but are polite and diplomatic, so they just simply do not mention all of the other niches that they do not like, just to be nice.
Still other people like the niche that they like and do not have any opinions on other niches.
Still other people like the niche that they like and do not like some niches and have no opinion on still other niches.

Quote snip: "...a beginners guide to manufacturers and models." Interesting idea. Who is going to write the guide? How can reasonable objectivity be maintained, with minimum subjectivity, when there is such a wide spectrum of likes and don't likes in the flashlight world? If multiple people contribute, what hope is there for not having open display of disagreement?

Here is the very very beginning of my beginners guide to some of the manufacturers that I like:

Acebeam Armytek Astrolux Eagletac Elzetta Emisar Fenix Fireflies Four-Sevens HDS Imalent JetBeam Klarus Lumintop Malkoff Manker MecArmy Nightwatch Nitecore Niwalker Noctigon Olight Oveready Sofirn Sunwayman Thrunite Zebralight

I own a Nitecore and it's fine. Because of it's lack of a head spring it caused damage to a cell when it was dropped. Nowadays I only use lithium primaries in it as it also runs at what it was advertised at with them in addition to not worrying so much about dropping it again. It's likely the only Nitecore I will own until they start putting springs at both ends of the battery tube. I think that they do on some models, just not usually the ones I'm looking at.

I also own a Nitecore i2 Intellicharger that has worked exactly as it advertised.

Bigburly912 said:

Best thing you can do is use the search bar and read and process. Ask questions! Most of us are here to help. …

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the caveat with "use the search" is wading through the myriad of information hoping some of it will be applicable, until you finally forget your question.

there really is too much information in the world!

Sorry, I have nothing to conribute to this debate as I have my niche and I rarely stray outside it.

carrot said:

Previously I had an old model battery charger from them which was perfectly adequate and did not burn my house down.

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That made me laugh, thank you Carrot.
I don't think we've bumped into each other before, but it's nice to see you posting again.
P

peter yetman said:

Sorry, I have nothing to conribute to this debate as I have my niche and I rarely stray outside it.
P

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Thank you for letting us know.

Perhaps you can be more specific regarding your interest in Nitecore. The Nitecore Store in USA is not owned by Nitecore but has decent return policies. Also Illumn ( in USA) is honest with returns. Nitecore brings out new products a lot but since they have largely dropped using higher CRI emitters with more pleasant tints, I think many CPF members look elsewhere.

KITROBASKIN said:

Perhaps you can be more specific regarding your interest in Nitecore. The Nitecore Store in USA is not owned by Nitecore but has decent return policies. Also Illumn ( in USA) is honest with returns. Nitecore brings out new products a lot but since they have largely dropped using higher CRI emitters with more pleasant tints, I think many CPF members look elsewhere.

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Have been drawn towards the P30 and not knowing anything about Nitecore, was wondering what they are like.
The last serious light I bought was a Jetbeam PA40 about 10 years ago. Since then, there are so many companies, and I'm just trying to get my head around them all. Another contender for a small thrower, is the Lumintop GT Mini. Again I know nothing about Lumintop.

It's probably a decent Flashlight if you like that user interface. Some cheaper Nitecore models have failed, but the more expensive ones have been OK

KITROBASKIN said:

It's probably a decent Flashlight if you like that user interface. Some cheaper Nitecore models have failed, but the more expensive ones have been OK

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Thanks. Good to know.

Tony, any electronics have a tendency to break at some point.

Regarding NiteCore (or any brand) the important thing to consider once you have made a choice on a product is who you bought it from. I read reviews all over the place about this P30 light. Most buyers loved it. That is until something went wrong like a faulty switch or other thing that can go wrong with an electronic gadget. The seller played a role in replacing the P30 that had an issue.

Avoid places that start with Ali, as they are a broker who sells all kinds of products to anybody looking to pay less. Something goes wrong and you may or may not get satisfactory redemption. But a seller who has skin in the game like a flashlight dealer, a battery dealer or police supply store, those people make a living by selling items to customers looking for good products. Products they stand behind so if something goes wrong that seller will try really hard to make it right.

Some good sellers have a store at eBay and Amazon along with a source of their own like "flash bulbs are us dot com" for example. Take a look on the web by searching "NiteCore P30 reviews" and you will see lots of 4 to 5 stars. The complaints I saw were mostly stuff like "could be less heavy up front" or "big head makes it hard to pocket carry bezel down". Not much was said about reliability issues, but the ones that did were happy with the redemption because the seller made it right.

Thanks for your reply. I used to work in electronics so understand the vulnerabilities. I guess one has to bite the bullet and pay a little extra from a reputable dealer. Just that I notice the going rate in the US is $79.95 and in the UK (where I am) is £79.95. But $79.95 converts to £61.28 at today's rate. So in the UK we pay nearly £20 more than the states (about 33% more). That's a lot!

I like them, they are quality overseas brand like Fenix and Klarus, not like Armytek or Surefire or other higherend brands